Automatic liquid extractor for vacuum lines and tanks



May'31, 1932. P. s. ENDACOTT ET AL 1,360,389

AUTOMATIC LIQUID EXTRACTOR FOR VACUUM LINES AND TANKS Fil Oct. 17. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Scruber Lina 1 from fie/J 60. Pressure J y 2- P. s. ENDACOTT ET AL 1,860,889

AUTOMATIC LIQUID EXTRACTOR FOR VACUUM LINES AND TANKS Filed 0015- 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 51.11 ELE 13H. Arihur' HJRi FL-I wuento'ta,

Patented May 31, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PAUL S. ENDACO'I'T AND ARTHUR H. RINEY, OF BARTLESVILLE, OKLAHOMA AUTOMATIC LIQUID EXTRAC'IOR FOR VACUUM LINES AND TANKS Application filed October 17, 1925. Serial No. 63,198.

This invent-ion relates to an improved automatic liquid extractor for vacuum lines, tanks, and the like. a

The primary object of this invention is the provision of a practical type of automatic liquid extractor adapted for use in connection with the manufacture of natural gas gasoline,

for the purpose of automatically extracting liquids and other foreign materials from 19 vacuum lines, scrubber tanks, or any similar container, or pressure area having a less pressuretherein than atmospheric pressure.

In the manufacture of natural gas gasolines, it is necessary that the vapor-laden gas be pulledfrom the wells, and this induces a partial vacuum in the field lines, and in the plant equipment. Before the gas can be handled successfully in the plant to extract the gasoline therefrom, all-foreign liquids and free gasoline and oil which has condensed in the lilies must be removed. Considerable oil, gasoline condensate, and other liquids collect from time to time in the low portions of the lines. At the plant the final scrubbing of the field gas is accomplished at a reduced velocity, so that what liquids remain may be dropped before entering the plant equipment. These collecting liquids must be. released from both the vacuum lines and vacuum scrubber tanks, but since the outside or atmospheric pressure is greater than the partial vacuum in the scrubber tanks and vacuum lines, liquids will not fiow against the atmospheric pressure. In conventional practice. therefore, it has been necessary to install collecting drips or containers, which are manually operated by means of gate valves working under pressure. However, since the collection of liquids is Very erratic, as to time interval. the inspector may find that several days elapse with no necessity of blowing the liquid, and again he may find at intervals of from one or two minutes a complete charge of liquid has collected. It can therefore be seen that the manual Withdrawal of liquids from vacuum lines for use in connection with gas lines is highly unsatisfactory. Vith this in mind the improved automaticallv operable liquid extractor has been provided, which automatically discharges the liquids collected in the vacuum lines or tanks, proportional to the quantity of liquid which is collected, without the intervention of human attention.

A further object of this invention is' the provision of an automatically operable liquid extractor for the removal of liquids from ar sub-atmospheric pressure area to an atmospheric pressure area, adapted for use in connection with the handling of natural gas gasoline manufacture, and embodying a foolproof arrangement which will operate efficiently under extraordinary circumstances which might never occur, but which are possibilities.

Other objects and advantages of this invention consist in the arrangement of details of the invention, and will be subsequently set forth, or will be apparent to anyone skilled in the art.

In the drawings, wherein similar'referencc characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of the improved automatically operable liquid extractor as used in connection with a scrubber tank thru which natural gas passes on its way to plant equipment; the improved liquid extractor being used in connection with the scrubber tank for automatically removing condensate or other foreign liquids therefrom.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary diagrammatic View of the improved liquid extractor as used in connection with vacuum lines, for the automatic removal of condensed gasoline, oil, or other foreign liquidstherefrom.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on'a vertical plane thru the improved liquid extractor, showing the automatic opl7? crating features thereof. a

Figure 4 is an enlarged cross sectional View taken substantially on the line 44 of Figure 3.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose )5 of illustration is shown only a preferred embodiment of the invention, the letter A may generally designate the improved automatic liquid extractor, which may be used in connection with either a vacuum line B, or

scrubber tank C, or similar low pr ssure area, less than atmospheric pressure, for the automatic removal of liquids therefrom, for deposit to some storage tank D or analogous pressure area of atmospheric pressure, or super-atmospheric pressure, or pressure greater than the pressure existing within the line B orscrubber tank C.

Referring to the improved automatic operating liquid extractor device A, the same includes a casing 10, preferably of metal, having a bottom 11, and upstanding side walls 12 and end walls 13 and 14. The casing 10 has a trap chamber 15 therein, and the casing walls 12, 13 and 14 are outwardly flanged at 16, for receiving detachable bolts 17 whereby to detachably connect the cover plateor closure 18 thereon; a heavy gasket 19 being clamped peripherally between the closure 18 and the flanges 16, to provide a liquid-sealed connection. The closure 18 has an opening 20 therein, within which and over which a detachable brass or other metal valve frame 21 is positioned.

Upon the top of the closure 18 is positioned a small housing or casing 22, having a top wall 23 and side walls 24, and being open downwardly therethrough, the side walls 24 having outward flanges 25 thereon for detachable connection by bolts 27 upon the closure 18, and to the casing 10, as illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings. A heavy gasket 30 is preferably disposed between the small housing 22 and the closure 18, to provide a sealed connection. The housing 22 thus provides a relatively small chamber 31 therein, above the chamber 15, the former being designated as apressure chamber.

The valve supporting frame 21 has a top plate 35, which is bolted as at 36, over the opening 20, to the lid 18, and having a liquid and air seal connection therewith, as by extending the gasket 30 between the closure 18 and valve frame plate 35. The plate portion 35 of the valve frame 21 has an opening 37 therethrough, which is provided in order to provide communication between the compartments 15 and 31 at the proper time, and in the upper portion of this opening 37 is a valve seat 38, upon which a valve head is mounted, to control the communication between the compartments 15 and 31, as will be subsequently described.

The valve frame 21 has a depending supporting shank 45, extending downwardly into the trap chamber 15, which is provided with spaced lugs 47 and 48, having openings therein for reciprocably supporting a vertical'valve rod 49, upon the upper end of which the valve head 40 is mounted for reciprocable extension into the pressure compartment 31. The valve frame shank at its lower end is provided with a diagonally or laterally disposed float supporting foot 50, supporting a. transverse pin 51 to which a pair of elongated spaced parallel float arms 52 and 53 are pivotally connected; the opposite ends of said float rods 52 and 53 be ing rigidly connected to a buoyant float 55 of any approved character. The float is thus mounted for pivotal movement in a vertical plane within the trap compartment or chamer 15. e

The lower end of the valve rod 49 extends below the lowermost guide lug 48 and into the space between the float arms 52 and 53, and said lower portion of the float rod 49 is provided with upper and lower rigidly connected collars or annular flanges and 61, spaced at predetermined distances apart. The float arms 52 and 53 are each provided with an. elongated slot 64 therein, elongated longitudinally of the respective float rods or arms 52 and 53, and these'slots 64 of the two float rods or arms 52 and 53 are in transverse alignment, and slidably receive therein pin projections 65 of a ring-shaped valve controlling abutment or member 67 which is slidable on the valve rod 49 between the fixed collars 60 and 61, as can readily be seen from Figure 4 of the drawings.

Fixed on the valve rod 49 between the lugs 47 and 48 is a collar or flange 70, and between this collar 70 and the lower lug 48 of the frame 21 is an expansion spring 71, which normally is compressed between the collar 7 0 and lug 41 to urge the valve 40 above its seat 48 to open the port 37, for a purpose to be subsequently described in detail.

An inlet conduit extends into the lower part of the casing 10, preferably thru the end wall 13, and in this conduit, immediately adjacent thecasing 10, is a standard check valve 76 adapted to permit inlet of liquids or gases into the trap chamber 15, but preventing their return flow therefrom; this check valve including a pivoted valve head 77, adapted to act against an abutment 78 to prevent the return flow of fluids into the inlet line 75.

At the opposite end of the casing 10, an exit line 79 is provided, which has a standard check valve 80 therein, immediately in the vicinity of the extractor A, and intended to comprise part of the extractor A to permit flow of fluidfrom the trap compartment 15, but preventing the return flow of any fluids back into the trap compartment 15 from the outlet conduit or line 79. This check valve includes a pivoted valve head 81 operating against an abutment 82, to prevent return flow of fluid into the compartment 15.

As above mentioned the improved automatic operating extractor A may be used in connection with any apparatus for extracting a liquid from a lower pressure area and depositing it automatically into a higher pressure area. As is illustrated in Figure 1, the improved extractor A is used in connection with can readily be understood.

to a blow off line 87 which may be provided.

A by-pass conduit 83 mav be arranged between the inletand outlet lines and to cut out operation of the extractor A, it

desired. and a closure valve 39 is operable in this b v-pass conduit 88. Manually operated valves 90 and 91 are preferably provided in the inlet and outlet lines 75 and T9. at the outer sides of the check valves 76 and 30. A super-atmospheric gas pressure line 93 leads from a source of pressure, and as is illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings. communica tes with the pressure compartment. 31 through the top wall 23 of the small housing 22, for the purpose of supplying, superatmospheric pressure. or pressure thru the compartment 31 greater than the pressure which normall T exists in the trap chamber 15. In this line 93 adjacent the casing 22, is a check valve 94. adapted to prevent the back pressure of fluids into the line 93. for a purpose to be subsequently referred to. Almost without exception, the pressure source available for connection with the line 93, would be the. residue gas from the plant apparatus, or what is commonly known as dry gas, discharged from the plant under pressure. This pressure line 93, as is the case in plant equipment of the class described. usually parallels the vacuum lines to carry the dry gas back to the territory from which the vapor-laden gas was originally removed, and is set to normally carry from three to thirty pounds super-atmospheric pressure.

A small pressure equalizer line 96 extends into the trap compartment 15, and has communication therewith thru a minute, preferably calibrated port 97: the pressure equalizer line 96 leading at its opposite end to the upper part of the source of fluid supply, which as is illustrated in Figure 1 is the portion of the scrubber tank C above the normal liquid level therein, and the purpose of the equalizer line is to keep the pressure in the trap compartment the same as exists in the area from which the liquids are to be removed, that the vacuum or low pressure area. so that liquids may flow by gravity from the vacuum area or low pressure area into the trap coinpartment.

The connection of the conduit lines in the vacuum line B, as is illustrated in Figure 2, is identical with the principle above decribed ior connection with the scrubber tank C, The inletor pipe 90 communicates with a trap portion 100 ata low point in the vacautomatic liquid extractor,

num conduit B, for the purpose of catching all condensed and other liquids flowing along the line B, to convey them to the trap compartment 15. The equalizer line 96 communicates with the vacuum line B in the top thereof, to prevent possibility of liquids flowing from the vacuum line into the equalizer line 96. The discharge line 79 is, as above described, used to convey the extracted liquids to a suitable supply tank or container 1), or for discharge thru a blow-ofl line.

Referring to the operation of the improved when there is no liquid in the fluid source or compartment 15, the float 65 of course rests in lower position, and holds the valve head 40 tight upon its seat 38, because the sliding collar 67 is held down by the weight of the float against the lower rigid collar or abutment 61. instance no pressure from the pressure chamber 31 gets into the trap chamber 15, and due,

to the equalizer connection 96, the pressure in the trap chamber 15 is exactly the same as in the fluid source, and this pressure is main- 1y sub-atmospheric. Under normal operation the inlet check valve 76 is slightly opened when liquids are flowing into the tank con1- partment 15, but the outlet line check valve is'held closed because the external pressure is atmospheric and the pressure in the compartment 15 is sub-atmospheric pressure. The super-atmospheric pressure in the compartment 31 is ready at all times to pass into the low pressure compartment 15, upon opening of the valve 40,- in order to open the check valve 80.

Assuming now that liquids will begin to collect in the fluid area, they will flow thru the line 75, opening the check valve 7 6, and pass into the bottom of the trap chamber 1, This flow of liquids into the trap chamber 15 is possible because the same is lower than the area from which the liquids are trapped, and because the pressure is the same in both the vacuum line or tank and the trap chamber. As the level of the liquidsin this trap chamber 15 rises the float 55 rises therewith, and lifts the sliding collar or ring 67 upwardly along the rod 49. The valve 40 will of course remain seated because of inequality of pressures at opposite sides thereof, and because the pressure in the compartment 31 exerts a greater force on the valve tending to seat the same, than that exerted by the compression spring 71 tending to unseat the same.

When the fluid level has risen to the proper plape, the sliding collar or ring 67 will come into contact with the upper valve connected collar 60, on the valve stem, and temporarily will stop rising incident to elevation of the level of the fluid until such a level of liquid is reached that the buoyant force exerted by the partially submerged float 55 becomes suflicient to overbalance the force of pressure In this .force of the buo trap chamber,

quantity of liquid. when any pressure in the pressure chamber 31 tending to seat the valve, and at this instant because of the ant float and augmented by the expansion 0 the spring 71, the valve will snap quickly open, as can readily be understood, so that the pressure in the upper compartment 31 will pass thru the port 87 into the low pressure trap chamber 15, elevatin the pressure in the latter to a point consi .erably above the pressure in the discharge line 7 9, and preferably above atmospheric pressure. This will then permit the weight of the liquid in the trap chamber 15 to throw the valve member 81 openand permit the pressure which now exists in the trap chamher to force the liquid into the blow offline 87 or the liquid tank D, as is readily obvious. During this operation the pressure in the due to elevation, of course,

snaps the inlet valve closed, preventing any back flow of pressure or liquid into the inlet line 76. As the level of liquid in the trap chamber lowers, incident to discharge, the float will drop, and consequently the sliding ring or collar 67 will drop downwardly along the valve stem. However, the valve 40 will remain open incident to the spring 71, until the float weight is concentrated upon the valve stem by reason of the coming of the sliding collar 67 into abutment with the valve stem collar 61. The weight of the float then closes the valve 40 to cut off communication between the trap chamber 15 and pressure chamber 31. At this time the pressure in the chamber 15 is considerably above the ressure in the vacuum line or tank from which the liquid is being removed, but due to the provision of the pressure equalizing line 96, the pressure in the trap compartment 15 after the valve 40 has been closed as above described, is exhausted by leakage thru the pressure equalizing line 96, into the pressure area, until the pressure or partial vacuum of the vacuum area and trap chamber are equal, and the cycle of filling the discharge is complete, and the trap set for another Of course, at all times above the'vacuum exists in the trap chamber 15 the same will leak thru the equalizing line 96, but as the ratio between the openings of the pressure inlet conduit 93 and the opening 97 of the equalizing line, is approximately 30 to 1, the leakage during liquid extraction is practically negligible. The interval of time between the opening of the pressure valve 40 and the closing of it again after a complete discharge of liquid is from one to three seconds, depending upon the available pressure and back pressure or head on the discharge line from the trap.

While as above described the improved automatic liquid extractor is operable under ordinary circumstances, the same is of great- 1,seo,sso

er merit, since it takes into consideration unusual occurrences which may not happen more than once or twice in the lifetime of the device, or may never occur. For instance, assume thatthe vacuum line connected to a recently completed well should be subjected to a sudden flow of gas under pressure accompanied by oil in large quantities. When such oil passes into the line under pressure, instead of under partial vacuum, and collects in the lines or tanks, the liquid of course will gravitate into the trap chamber 15 and the float 55 will of course elevate. If the gas pressure from the well is great enough to discharge the collected liquor thru the trap into the discharge line the pressure valve 40 will not be called into operation, since the liquid level will never become high enough to lift the same 011' its seat. The discharge check valve will remain open under such circumstances, and the oil will automatically flow out under pressure of the gas in the' fluid source. Again, in case the pressure of oil and gas exceeds that of the'pressure in the pressure chamber 31 and line 93, the valve 40 will be open and remain open, and under a full trap chamber of liquid the liquid'will back up into the pressure chamber 31 but is prevented from hacking into the pressure line 93 because of the provision of the check valve 94. When the pressure in the trap chamber subsides due to eccentric pressure action from the well, the vacuum will again be equalized as to pressure between the trap chamber and the vacuum area from which the liquid is concentrated, and the regular automatic cycle of operation of the device is again called into play.

For obvious reasons it is desirable to have a valve 100 in the equalizer line, and additional manual valves 101 may be provided in the inlet and discharge lines leading to and from the trap.

From the foregoing description of this invention it is apparent that a novel type of automatically operating liquid extractor has been provided, by means of which condensed and other'collected liquids may be automatically discharged from a low pressure area into a higher pressure area, proportionate to the liquids collected, and entirely independ- Ill ent of the time interval for the liquid colreason of its simplicity, flexibility of operation under varying circumstances; pressure operation of parts; and by reason of the fact that the same is quick-acting and that the low pressure chamber therein,

30 valve means at 35 means between the 5 form of invention herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

We claim: 1. In combination with means having a a casing havi g a trap compartment therein, means having a passageway therein communicating with the low pressure chamber and trap compartment, check valve means in said passageway permitting liquids to flow from the lbw pressure chamber into the trap chamber, means communicating with the trap chamber and low pressure chamber above liquid levels to equalize the pressures therein, check valve means for regulating outlet of liquids from the trap chamber normally seated due to pressures exteriorly of the trap chamber, means providing a high fluid pressure compartment having port communication with the trap chamber, valve means for cooperation on said port to permit closing of the high fluid pressure compartment from the trap chamber, float means operable in the trap chamber for opening said last mentioned a predetermined liquid level in the trap chamber, and means to supply pressure to the high pressure chamber greater than the pressure which exists in the low pressure chamber, said pressure equalizing trap chamber and low pressure chamber being at all times in open connection between said chambers and being a slow leak means incapable of materially lowering the pressure in the trap chamber 40 at the time when the latter is placed in commumcation with the high pressure chamber.

In an automatic liquid extractor the combination of a casing having a lower trap compartment therein and an upper pres- 4 sure compartment with a port establishing communication between said compartments, means for supplying a predetermined pres fsure to the pressure chamber, valve means cooperating on said port to regulate the open- ;0 ing of the same, suction means communicating with the trap chamber to cause a con tinuous slow leak of pressure therefrom when the same is at a predetermined pressure above a desired pressure, inlet and outlet means 5 for the trap compartment including check valves, movable float means in the trap compartment actuated by liquid level therein, means normally tending to unseat the valve from the port which connects the pressure sure chamber normally maintaining the Valve seated, and means movably connecting the float with the valve to cause an unseating of the valve at a predetermined elevation pf the float.

and trap chambers, said pressure of the pres- 3. In an automatic liquid extractor a casing having a trap compartment therein, inlet and outlet means communicating in the lower portion of the trap compartment includin check valves, means in the upper portion 0 said trap compartmentproviding a port which communicates to the exterior of the trap compartment, a valve for said port including a stem extending into the trap compartment, said valve to be opened being adapted for movement away from the trap compartment, guide means for the stem of the valve, spring means actuating on the stem to normally unseat the valve from the port, float means movable in the trap compartment,

and means connecting the float means with the valve stem to normally seat the valve on the port against its spring actuation when liquid level is low in the trap compartment and elevate the valve stem tending to unseat the valve When the liquid is at a predetermined level.

4. In an automatic liquid extractor the combination of a casing having a trap compartment therein and a pressure compartment above the trap compartment with a port for communication of the pressure compartment and trap compartment, means connected with the pressure compartment for supplying pressure thereto, inlet and outlet means for the trap compartment including check valves ,for permitting liquid flow into and from the trap chamber and preventing fluid flow in opposite directions, slow leak means communicating with the trap compartment to normally lower the pressure therein below the pressure existing in the pressure chamber, a valve on the port between the pressure chamber and above the trap chamber, means connected with the casing providing spaced guide lugs with openings therethrough, a valve stem connected with the valve extending in guided relation thru said openings, a collar rigid on the valve stem between said guide lugs,a compression spring between one of said guide lugs and the collar of the valve stem normally urging the valve stem upwardly to unseat the valve from said port, a pair of spaced fixed collars on the valve stem at the lower end thereof, a collar slidable'on the valve stem between said pair of fixed collars, a float in the trap chamber movable incident to rise and fall of liquid level therein, and means connecting said float with said slidable collar whereby to cause the valve to seat against action of said spring when the float is in a lowered position in the trap compartment and to cause unseating of the valve when the float is buoyantly supported at a predetermined liquid level in the trap chamber.

5. In an automatic liquid extractor for vacuum lines and tanks the combination of a receptacle adapted to receive a gas therein under a partial vacuum, a trap having a comeluding partment therein, means establishing communication between the receptacle and the trap compartment for gravity flow of liquid from the receptacle into the trap compartment, a check valve for the last mentioned means to permit flow ofliquid only from the receptacle into the trap compartment, outlet means for the trap compartment liquids ina check valve to prevent return flow of liquld to the trap compartment, means to supp y superatmospheric pressure into the trap compartment for forcing liquid therefrom against a head pressure, a valve for controlling the inlet of pressure to the trap compartment, a float device in the trap compartment operated by rise of liquid therein to regulate said valve, and a constantly open pressure equalizing line connecting the receptacle and the trap compartment above the normal liquid level having a minute opening therein to cause only a slow leak equalization ofdpressure between the trap compartment an the partial vacuum in the receptacle.

' PAUL S. END-ACOTT.

ARTHUR H. RINEY. 

